#cornelia schuyler

[ijustthrewawaymyshot]

I actually discovered this now holy shet-

In “Satisfied,” Angelica sings, “My father has no sons, so I’m the one who has to social climb for one,” thus justifying her need to marry rich (and therefore not marry penniless Alexander).

But this line is, in fact, totally untrue and likely included for narrative convenience.

Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy were three of five sisters who lived to adulthood, along with Cornelia and Catharine Schuyler. Their parents, Catharine Van Rensselaer Schuyler and Philip Schuyler, also had three sons who lived to adulthood: John Bradstreet Schuyler, Philip Jeremiah Schuyler, and Rensselaer Schuyler. The couple had 15 children in total, though only the eight above survived childhood.

Shocked? Me too.

[46ten]

I was just learning the fact that Cornelia and Kitty fought Eliza for the inheritance, I knew her brothers did it but I didn't know about the sisters. I was surprised because they seemed to be close with her before their father's death. I know Kitty and EH reconciled because they became closer in later years, but what was her relationship with Cornelia? Did Cornelia die still fighting for the inheritance or did they reconcile? And in general how all of this affected Eliza's relationships with her siblings? (I wonder how AH would have helped EH in all of this if he were alive. Perhaps PH would have named him as one of his executors of his last will)

The dispute between Eliza and her siblings seems to have grown out of what they felt was over-generosity towards her from Philip Schuyler's attempts to financially assist her after AH's death. There were rumors of him giving her cash, and then there was the matter of the land deed executed before PS's death.

[So without AH dying, I doubt the dispute would have happened. And yes, I think AH would have been one of the executors of PS's will had he been alive. The three executors were Philip Jeremiah Schuyler (his son), JB Church (son-in-law), and Stephen van Rensselaer (former son-in-law/Margarita's widower).]

Specifically, when EH went up to Albany in August 1804, PS set in motion a plan to give her a land deed of 80 acres of his property in Albany - he notes in letters in July/early August/September how much he wants to assist her and her children by whatever means possible, emotional and spiritual support, but also financial support.

The paper deed was executed but not delivered to her, however, before she returned to NY and prior to PS's death. As such, some of her siblings argued that the 80 acres deed was null and the property should be counted towards the inheritance for all 8 children (or their children, as two of PS's kids were already dead - Margarita and John Bradstreet) and split. This is what led to the fight with Caty/Kitty and Cornelia's husbands, as EH is clear in a letter to her brother Philip Jeremiah that she believed her brothers'-in-law, G. Washington Morton (married Cornelia 1796) and Samuel Malcolm (married Kitty 1803) were behind this effort. To be clear, EH fought that the 80 acre deed should be hers exclusively; took about 5 years to resolve, but it was and she sold it, as she especially claimed to need the money to pay for her children's education. Read more here: Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site: Schuyler Siblings Land Squabble

Cornelia died in 1808, and it's not clear where their relationship stood, as the issue was still unresolved at the time. They were clearly still tight in Nov 1804, prior to PS's death: The Eliza Papers — Elizabeth Hamilton to Philip Schuyler, 1804 (tumblr.com). To read my posts on Cornelia and her terrible husband (Philip Schuyler disliked him! So he lost a bunch of PS's papers! ), see here: 46ten — How not to behave at Philip Schuyler’s home (tumblr.com); 46ten — Schuyler elopements (tumblr.com)

To read more about Kitty and Samuel Malcolm, who had been John Adams' secretary, see here: 46ten — Sister Church is still with us. She goes in less... (tumblr.com); 46ten — 46ten: Kitty, who is looking over my shoulder,…... (tumblr.com) 46ten — Philip Schuyler, described by his youngest... (tumblr.com); 46ten — Philip Schuyler to Elizabeth Hamilton, 1797 (tumblr.com)

Cornelia (b 1776) and Kitty (b 1781 - she would have been named GW Schuyler if a boy! or so claimed PS in his letter to GW, likely part of an attempt to assuage any ill feelings over his brand new son-in-law pulling the stunt he had, which AH also would not have pulled if PS wasn't his father-in-law) knew 'Brother Hamilton,' as they called him, their whole lives and were very close to him. Both girls spent time living with the Hamiltons in Philadelphia and NYC. They also had children named Alexander Hamilton Morton (b 1800) and Alexander Hamilton Malcolm (b 1815), respectively, so it doesn't seem that their husbands objected to EH and her husband all THAT much, but once money is involved....

See some speculation on the relationship between EH and Kitty here: Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site: My Dear Sister: Eliza and Caty Post-Schuyler Sisters Land Squabble

To the rumors that PS had given EH thousands of dollars, that seems very unlikely, as he was notably cash poor. But over the years, PS undoubtedly supported the Hamiltons financially, providing them not only with goods from his farms and mills, but cash to EH for paying for the boys' education (particularly while AH was Sect of Treas, which makes AH's efforts to make sure bonds were funded pretty self-interested - there's quite a lot of "I'm not benefiting!" while his closest family and friends, many of whom provide him funds outright, or provide him with goods, or give him interest-free loans, are benefiting handsomely.)

Some of the siblings could have been resentful, not only of PS's support but of his general favoritism towards the Hamiltons - see here for PS sending his son Rensselaer to live with the Hamiltons to learn from their good example: 46ten — Philip Schuyler to Elizabeth Hamilton, Albany,... (tumblr.com). But PS seems to have helped out all his kids - or at least once he reconciled himself to their poor choices in spouses - EH may have been the only one who chose a spouse PS approved of from the beginning! He saved timber for the Churches to build a home, provides funds and property to his sons, etc.

Post PS's death, EH's relationship with her brother Philip Jeremiah, for example, seems fine The Eliza Papers — Philip J Schuyler (tumblr.com), she's just admonishing him for not doing more to help her resolve the claims and points out that people are talking about how little help her brothers - PJ and Rensselaer - are providing, considering how much the Hamiltons' friends have stepped up to help her.

The other matter that persists between the siblings was much older - the division of the estate Catharine Van Rensselaer had inherited (parts of the Claverack) - which was a legal fight practically from the time AH joins the family, and one in which he offered advice. There's definitely "when is that every going to be settled!" angst between the siblings so they can finally resolve the matter of their mother's inheritance.

[yr-obedt-cicero]

I beg my dear Sister you would inquire of Sister Hamilton if she has not through mistake taken Gibbon's history. I have forgot which volume is with her. It belongs to Brother Rensselaer. If you get it, pray take the first opportunity of sending it up.

Source — Cornelia Schuyler to Catharine Van Rensselaer Schuyler, [August 4, 1795]

The image of the the Schuyler sisters snatching history books from each other is hilarious.

[imobsessedwiththeatre]

THE SCHUYLER SISTERS CONFUSED WHY THEY ARENT IN THE SONG

[a-spec-ific-topic]

Introducing Cornelia Schuyler, aka the paternal grandmother of Eliza. She’s technically an OC, but at the same time not really, since she is a real person that just wasn’t mentioned in the musical. By OC I mean I crafted her personality to match that of Gramma Tala from Moana (another project LMM worked on) and Grandmother Fa (from the movie that inspired this AU). 

In this AU, she lost her husband when their son was still a child (the child being Philip Schuyler) and had to carry on his legacy until the time came for Philip to inherit it. She is a devoted mother and grandmother and is still in love with her departed husband even after all these years, so much so that she refused to remarry and kept her spouse’s last name. She is a huge supporter of Eliza and will always be by her side in life and death. 

[laiqualaurelote]

Self rec time! Rec one of your fluff fics, one angst, one multichaptered, one AU and send this to your favourite writers 💟💟

Thank you for this wonderful ask! I love it. I'm going to use this as an excuse to rec what I consider my most underrated fics (all are under 250 kudos). I don't really write either pure angst or fluff - most of my fics have a mix of both - and AUs are pretty much the free square in the laiqualaurelote bingo card, so these are all AUs.

Fluff: The Proper Care Of Foxes (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, T, 5.9k words, Phrack)

The AU where Phryne is literally a fox spirit and Jack finds this out way earlier than either of them realise. I don't really do fluff, but if anything this probably qualifies.

Angst: ain't practical, a world you can't touch (The English, G, 5.1k words, Whipplocke)

All my Eli/Cornelia fics are fix-its that nevertheless manage to contain copious heapings of angst (I don't think it's possible to write fic for The English without some kind of angst involved) but somehow the angstiest turned out to be the Pushing Daisies AU where Eli can bring back the dead with his touch and Cornelia gets shot through the heart at Busted Belly (it's angst with a happy ending, at least).

AU Humour: we don't print retractions (Hamilton, T, 8.3k words, Angelica Schuyler/John Barker Church)

The newsroom AU where they're all chaotic, ridiculously intense journalists and Angelica, Hamilton and Burr are forced to team up to get the scoop on George King.

Multi-chaptered: all the men and women merely players (Ted Lasso, T, 10.4k words and counting, Ted/Trent)

It's a multi-chaptered AU containing angst and, eventually, fluff! The Station Eleven AU in which Ted winds up leading a travelling Shakespearean troupe through post-apocalyptic England and Trent, despite said apocalypse, is still trying to be a journalist. This is a WIP but the progress is imminent! I am just waiting for our new Trent content (conTrent?) to drop.

[celestialmistress15]

hi idk if anyone cares but i found out through some wiki surfing that george eacker who killed philip hamilton was engaged to harriet livingston, daughter of cornelia schuyler?? so i traced the family tree and she and philip were distant cousins...no wonder the marriage didn't go through.

[ohshit-its1776]

What about a pic of the Schuyler Sisters at the winter 1780 winter ball, drawn looking like how you think they would’ve looked like?

Angelica Schuyler Church 1756-1814

Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton 1757-1854

Margarita "peggy" Schuyler Van Rensselaer 1758-1801

Cornelia Schuyler Morton 1776-1808

Catharine Schuyler Malcolm Cochrane 1781-1857

[betsey-hamilton-official]

@caty-schuyler YOUR LITTLE SISTER IS HERE

Cornelia..?

[dearestcorrespondence]

Philip Schuyler to Elizabeth Hamilton, Albany, [September 15, 1803]

Albany Thursday Sept 15 1803

My Dearest beloved Child

On Tuesday I was favoured with your affectionate letter of the 9th. Much as I regret my Dear Hamiltons indisposition, yet since it is not one attended with danger, I feel a consolation from it, as it will prevent him from approaching that pestilential Effluvia which is so fatal to those who venture in to N York,_

I am extreamly happy that my Cornelia is with you. she speaks to me of your tender and affection attentions in terms that I feel come from the heart, ah how pleasing to a parent to find such tenderness in his children

Mr Shrangde has confined me to my bed, the speedier to heal the ulcers in my foot, I hope a week more of confinement will restore me to the use of my legs_

My dear James is at Eastown, where he and Philip amuse themselves, my Alexander with me, and studies surveying, in which I trust he will make considerable progress

Mr Church proposes to Leave this on Saturday for Ships bay, accompaned by my Angelica & her daughter

Inform my General that I have collected all the papers related to the Claverack estate, & sent them to Mr. Jacob B. Skopetaen and am preparing a memorandum of what may be necessary to be laid before the arbitrators._

All here unite in Love to you and all with ___ Adieu my Dearly beloved Child. I am ever most tenderly yours

Ph. Schuyler

[sporadiceagleheart]

Thank you Lord for all you done for us thank you for healing and lifting them up while they are resting thank you for your family members thank you for all Holidays and birthdays thank you Jesus Christ Lisa Anne French, Louis XVII edit, Jesus of Nazareth, Saint “Virgin Mary” Mary, Salome, Mary Of Clopas, Saint Joseph of Nazareth, Saint Anne, Saint Joachim of Jerusalem, Mary Dunne “Stagecoach Mary” Fields, Lisa “Mona Lisa” Gherardini del Giocondo, Edward Doty Sr., Richard Burrell Reed, Margaret Jean Wylie Sibbitt, George Reed Sr., George “Buddy” Reed Jr., Rebecca Ann Bryan Boone, Daniel Boone, Jonathan Boone, Samuel Boone Sr., Jane “Big Granny” Van Cleave Boone, Squire Boone Sr., CPT Squire Boone Jr., Sheftall Sheftall, Frances Freidel Hart Sheftall, Pauline Adelaar, Peter Fuchs, Mordecai Sheftall, Mann Page III, Evelyn Byrd, COL William Byrd III, Portrait of Marie-Antoinette Queen of France in crimson dress holding a book, Princess Sophie Hélène Béatrice of France, Élisabeth Philippe Marie Hélène of France, Louis VII of

France

Armand Gagné, Eli Whitney II, Henrietta Frances Edwards Whitney, Harriet Livingston Dale, Cornelia Schuyler Livingston, Jane Byrd Page, William Byrd II, Maria Taylor Byrd, John Williamson Page, Maria Taylor Byrd Carter, Anne Byrd Carter, Louis Joseph Xavier Francois, Ella Harper, Annie Oakley, Nina Craigmiles, Marie Antoinette, Sr. Evalee "EvaMary" Matthews, Robert Fulton, Stacy, Mei Leung, Carol Ann Barrett, Charlotte Louise Dunn, Charlotte Ruby "Charlie" Emily, Anna D. Crnkovic, Irmgard Christine Winter, Christine Chubbuck, Lisa Ann French, Cindy Joy Elias, Rachel Joy Scott, JonBenèt Ramsey, Marian McLean, Elizabeth Short, Thanksgiving Family, Amber Rene Hagerman and Opal Jennings, Judith Barsi, Heather Michele O'Rourke,

[thefvrious]

full name: schuyler ashton judge nicknames: sky birthday: july 6 age: twenties gender/pronouns: cis-male; he/his hometown: cambridge, england sign: cancer religion: christian orientation: pansexual occupation: student family: alexander judge (father), cornelia judge (mother), hamilton judge (brother) +: intuitive, devoted, brilliant, dependable -: sensitive, suspicious, introspective, shy blurb: schuyler (pronounced skylar) is the younger of two boys born to a pair of historians who specialized in early american history. given their parents' penchant for history, the two boys were named after some prominent figures in history. they grew up going to museums and historical centers, always learning. it was a good thing that both boys were intelligent and innately interested in what their parents wanted to teach them. hamilton followed in mom & dad's footsteps while schuyler went the STEM route, always supported by his parents. he knew he wanted to go to MIT, a dream his parents helped make a reality. the only problem was he was leaving behind his high school sweetheart. she didn't take it as hard as he did, seeing it as the natural end to things. he works at the bookstore and does tutoring but keeps mostly to himself.

[46ten]

Schuyler elopements

The following accounts are from Women of Colonial and Revolutionary Times: Catherine Schuyler (1897) by Mary Gay Humphreys.

Regarding the elopement of Angelica Schuyler and John Church:

“Carter and my eldest daughter ran off and were married on the twenty-third of July. Unacquainted with his family connections and situation in life the matter was exceedingly disagreeable and I signified it to them” [Philip Schuyler to William Duer, pg 191] 

[One can read my speculation about why, (x), considering the above, AH was nevertheless acceptable to the Schuylers]

Regarding the elopement (that I don’t think was an elopement, just a surprising marriage due to SVR’s youth) of Margarita (Peggy) Schuyler and Stephen Van Rensselaer: 

“Stephen’s precipitate marriage has been to me a source of surprise and indeed of regret. He certainly is too young to enter into a connection of this kind; the period of his life is an important crisis; it is the time to acquire Fame, or at least to prepare for its acquisition. It is the Time to engage in a busy life, to arouse the Facultys into action, to awake from a lithargic Inattention, which is generally the consequence of youthful pleasures, and make a figure upon the active Theatre. Instead of this our field has indulged the momentary impulse of youthful Passions, and has yielded to the dictates of Remorseful Fancy.” [Harrison Gray Otis to Killian Van Rensselaer, pg 195]

Regarding the elopement of Cornelia Schuyler and Washington Morton: 

At the Morton home in New Jersey there had been a notable wedding, that of Eliza Morton to Josiah Quincy of Boston. The Rev. Samuel Smith of Princton College performed the ceremony before all the aristocracy of the time....Among the guests was Miss Cornelia Schuyler. The bride had a brother, Washington Morton. He made himself prominent as a lad during the British occupation by losing a darning needle which, being the only one in the neighborhood, accordingly had to be loaned from house to house. He was now one of the young bloods of the time. One of his recent enterprises had been a walk to Philadelphia on a wager. He was accompanied by various young men on horseback and in carriages. That night he gave them a dinner at Philadelphia, and was one of the liveliest of the company. He was of superb figure and very athletic. The admiration of Miss Schuyler and Mr. Morton was mutual and prompt. He followed the young lady to Albany and declared his attentions to her father. His walk had given him much distinction, but it was not the sort likely to win the approval of so strict a disciplinarian as General Schuyler, or the championship of so considerate a mother as his wife. 

The young man’s suit was refused. “He has not taken that place which befitted a married man,” and the General, to make sure of his position, led the young man to the wharf and saw him aboard the New York sloop. Returning home he called his daughter into the library and told her what he had done. “My wishes will be respected? Promise me to have nothing to do with him by word or letter.”

“I cannot.” 

“What! do you mean to disobey me?” 

“I mean I cannot bind myself; I will not.”

The issue was made. What steps were taken to secure obedience do not appear. In time, however, the impatient lover found opportunity to send his love a letter, and one moonlit evening two muffled figures appeared under Miss Cornelia’s window. At a low whistle the window opened and a rope was thrown up. Attached to the rope was a rope ladder, which making fast like a veritable heroine of romance the bride descended. They were driven to the river, where a boat was waiting to take them across. On the other side was the coach-and-pair. They were then driven thirty miles across country to Stockbridge, where an old friend of the Morton family lived. It was Judge Theodore Sedgwick, not unknown  to General Schuyler in Congress and about the troublesome boundary commissions. The affair had gone too far. The judge sent for a neighboring minister and the runaways were duly married. So flagrant a breach of the parental authority was not to be hastily forgotten. Philip and Catherine Schuyler had had had various experiences in kind, but this transcended everything out of fiction, from which in fact it seems to have been carefully copied. It was some months before the young couple was pardoned, by the stern father at least, for the mother’s heart quickly responded to the happiness of her children, even though they had been so willful. As in the case of the other runaways, the youthful Mortons disappointed expectation, by becoming important householders and taking a prominent place in the social life of New York, where Washington Morion achieved some distinction at the bar. [pg 202-4].

A few posts about Washington Morton, x

[yr-obedt-cicero]

do you know anything about angelica hamilton? there’s so little information on the hamilton kids and i don’t have my books 😭😭 tysm your blog is so helpful <3333

If you want I can recommend some books!

Angelica Hamilton was born in New York City, September 25, 1784. She was the second child and eldest daughter of Elizabeth ‘Schuyler’ Hamilton and Alexander Hamilton.

Marquis de Lafayette wrote to Hamilton on the 8th of October, 1784, from Albany about Angelica's birth;

“With all the warmth of my long and tender friendship I Congratulate You Upon the Birth of Your daughter, and Beg leave to present Mrs Hamilton With my most Affectionate Respects.”

(source)

In 1786, Angelica and her younger brother, Alexander Hamilton Jr., would be inoculated for the smallpox disease that had been going around;

“We have been Innoculating Angelica and Alexander. The first as before has escaped without any appearance of Infection. The last has had a pretty good share of the disease but is now, I may say, well.”

(source)

Contrary to the claims of author and biographer, Ron Chernow, Angelica was not actually baptized as an infant — unlike her brother Philip — she was baptized at Trinity Church (Picture below) in Manhattan at the age of four, on October 12th, 1788, with her brother Alexander Jr. Her sponsors had been her grandparents, father, and Elizabeth's older sister, whom Angelica was named after, Angelica Schuyler Church.

(Trinity Church)

(Church records of Hamilton's children being baptized, Angelica Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton Jr., and James Alexander Hamilton)

Philip Schuyler, her grandfather, wrote of Angelica and described her as “My Angelica is perfectly happy, And very lively.” She was commonly said to be a sensitive and lively girl, and had great musical talent. She was said to resemble in beauty of her maternal aunt Angelica Schuyler. Allan McLane Hamilton, her nephew (Son of Philip II's), described her as “a very beautiful girl” and “a charming character.”

In 1793, Angelica, at the age of nine, was taken to Albany to escape the Yellow Fever outbreak alongside her three brothers (Philip, Alexander Jr., and James), as their parents had contracted it while they were in Philadelphia. During this time, Angelica would begin French lessons, as mentioned in a letter from her father sometime in November;

“I was very glad to learn, my dear daughter, that you were going to begin the study of the French language. We hope you will in every respect behave in such a manner as will secure to you the good-will and regard of all those with whom you are. If you happen to displease any of them, be always ready to make a frank apology. But the best way is to act with so much politeness, good manners, and circumspection, as never to have occasion to make any apology. Your mother joins in best love to you. Adieu, my very dear daughter.”

(source)

Her brothers would eventually return home without her, as she stayed behind to continue in her lessons. Also that same year, her aunts — 17 year old Cornelia, and 12 year old Caty — were taking lessons with an Albany tutor. It's unknown if Angelica took lessons with them or from a family member, but it's worth noting at the possibility.

She played the piano and harp, and even sometimes sung with her father, Hamilton, while she played, as recalled by her younger brother James Alexander Hamilton in his memoirs;

“Hamilton's gentle nature rendered his house a joyous one to his children and friends. He accompanied His daughter Angelica when she played and sang the piano.”

(source)

At the end of the year, Angelica Church promised for her niece that “Angelica shall have the very best piano that can be made in London, by the person who made her sisters I mean her cousins.”

The beloved piano is still around to this day, and is free to see at the Grange historical estate.

The Hamilton family was also quite close with their neighboring friends, the Washington's. And would often visit, or the children would have playdates together for a majority of their days. Angelica would make good friends and playmates with Nelly Custis (Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis, she was a granddaughter of Martha Washington and a step-granddaughter and adopted daughter of George Washington). Martha Washington would also take Angelica and her younger adopted sister, Frances Antill, to dancing lessons twice a week;

“When Gen. Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury, and Gen. Washington, President of the United States, they lived opposite to each other in Philadelphia, and the children of the two families were together every day. Mrs. Washington took the Custis children, and Angelica Hamilton, and Fanny Antill, (my mother,) in her carriage to dancing-school twice a week. She stayed with them through the lesson and brought them home.”

(source)

Angelica grew to be a very lovable member in her family. She was very close to her aunt Church, grandparents, and was said to have been very close with her brother Philip, whom was two years older than her. Angelica had spent a lot of time with her grandparents during her childhood. In August of 1797, Philip Schuyler wrote to Elizabeth that “Angelica is a good and attentive child, pleases her Grandmama and me very much” And then in 1799, he begged Eliza to "send at least Angelica & JA [James Alexander Hamilton]” And then in July of 1803, he wrote to Elizabeth that Angelica's “endearing and unremitted attention hence sank deep into my heart, there and the amusement she afforded me has relieved many a painful moment and blunted the edge of reflection which in defiance of effort still arises.”

It appears Angelica had a teasing and close bond with her father, as Hamilton wrote with jest to Elizabeth sometime in 1801;

“Give my love to Angelica & assure [her] that I did not leave her pye out of resentment for her having changed its original destination; but because it was impossible to take it with us without abandonning a basket of Crabs which was sent to my care for Mrs. Rensselaer. It has always been my creed that a lady’s pleasure is of more importance than a Gentleman’s, so the pye gave way to the Crabs. It was a nice question, but after mature reflection I decided in favour of the latter. Perhaps as a Creole I had some sympathy with them.”

(source)

In the November of 1801, when Angelica was 17 years old, she would hear the tragic news of her oldest brother's death. Phillip having died in a duel against George I. Eacker, after him and — his classmate and friend — Stephen Price, intruded into Eacker's theatre box while he had company and made obnoxious and sardonic remarks against his Fourth of July speech, which supposedly had defamed, his father, Hamilton and hailed Burr, his father's political rival. Eacker and the two boys would escort the box and go to the lobby, where Eacker would confront them on their public display. He called them ‘Rascals’ and surely after much if their drunk behavior and a debate at a nearby Playhouse (A bar, basically) Eacker challenged them both to duels. Price and Eacker would make it out unharmed and alive, but unfortunately not for Philip. In the next duel, Philip aimed for the sky as his father demanded, and so had Eacker for a moment, but after sometime Eacker eventually shot Philip through the hip as the bullet lodged into his arm. He would die the next day in his mother's arms, with his devastated father laying besides him.

The news of her closest brother and his death had supposedly triggered a mental breakdown from the shock that left Angelica in a state described as “eternal childhood”, and often unable even to recognize her own family members. Angelica's nephew, psychiatrist Allan McLane Hamilton, claimed his aunt to be an “invalid” and her condition as a type of “insanity”. Though it is unknown what truly would have been the diagnosis, as 18th century mental medical standards were not ethical, nor proper at all. There is a masterpost theorizing the possibility it may have been schizophrenia, but take it with a grain of salt as we do not know all the details of her state in the aftermath. As the Hamilton family did not discuss much of Angelica's condition, nor really knew how to help. So we know very little knowledge of what had truly happened. But McLane writes of the incident as so;

“Upon receipt of the news of her brother’s death in the Eacker duel, she suffered so great a shock that her mind became permanently impaired, and although taken care of by her devoted mother for a long time there was no amelioration in her condition, and she was finally placed under the care Dr. MacDonald of Flushing, and remained in his charge until her death at the age of seventy-three. During her latter life she constantly referred to the dear brother so nearly her own age as if alive. Her music, that her father used to oversee and encourage, stayed by her all these years. To the end she played the same old-fashioned songes and minuets upon the venerable piano that had been bought for her, many years before, in London, by Angelica Church, during her girlhood, and was sent to New York through a friend of her father.”

(source)

Nothing seems to indicate Angelica having any kind of mental health issues up to this point, she generally seemed to be a talented, happy, and smart young girl. McLane is the only source who appears to pinpoint the cause of time of Angelica's breakdown. Though AMH was rarely writing from first hand experience, his father, Phil II, does seem to have maintained the closest relationship with Angelica out of his siblings (Aside from maybe Holly), and she was possibly living with him at a period of time. So it is very possible McLane met his aunt, and/or knew her story from the rest of his family. And therefore, I find him to be a fairly credible source.

It is my belief Angelica's mental health deteriorate through time, especially with her aunt Margret and grandfather's death so close to Philip's. With descriptions of her being in a “child like state” it's my guess she stopped comprehending much of anything past Philip's death, as she was said to refer to him as if he was still alive and continuously play the old tunes she was taught as a little girl. Perhaps the deaths of her beloved family members was too much and so she retreated into a happier mindset of more joyous times. But that is purely speculation, and has no real ground to it considering I'm not in any medical field of profession. Interestingly, many records of Angelica's condition vary through witnesses.

As on April 26, 1804, James Kent — a judge of the New York Supreme Court — describes his visit to the Grange in the following letter to his wife, Elizabeth. But he also mentions of Angelica;

“His daughter, who is nineteen years old, has a very uncommon simplicity and modesty of deportment, and he appeared in his domestic state the plain, modest, and affectionate father and husband.”

(source)

While with far less kindness, another visitor at the Grange, whom was recorded only as ‘Mrs. Q’, referred to Angelica merely as “a deranged daughter.”

Despite Angelica's worsening condition, her parents remained there for her. Hamilton bought a few birds for his Angelica, as she was “very fond of” them. As said in a letter to his friend, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, dated the 29th of December, 1802;

“My daughter adds another request, which is for three or four of your peroquets. She is very fond of birds.”

(source)

Though unfortunately, in July of 1804, Alexander Hamilton was killed dueling Aaron Burr. During Hamilton's last dying moments on the bed, Elizabeth would line up her, and her surviving siblings, at the foot of his bed before he would pass.

“The great source of his anxiety seemed to be in his sympathy with his half distracted wife and children. He spoke to me frequently of them—“My beloved wife and children,” were always his expressions. But his fortitude triumphed over his situation, dreadful as it was; once, indeed, at the sight of his children brought to the bed-side together, seven in number, his utterance forsook him; he opened his eyes, gave them one look, and closed them again, till they were taken away.”

(source)

And alongside herself, Elizabeth, her younger sister, Eliza Hamilton Holly, and baby brother, Philip Hamilton II, she did not attend their father's funeral.

Shortly after, Angelica, her younger siblings, and their mother, went to Albany at Philip Schuyler’s request. Sadly, when they left the Schuyler Mansion, they would never see Philip Schuyler again, as he died just a few months later.

After 1804, there are not many records of Angelica or how her condition continued. There are references to Angelica traveling to visit family, at an undated time (likely the 1820s-30s).

Interestingly, Angelica appeared to have had a close relationship with her youngest brother, Philip Hamilton II. As a letter from Elizabeth to her Little Phil (As he was often nicknamed) dated the 23rd of May, 1837, just shy of her 80th birthday, she was on a trip out west of the country to visit her fifth son, William Stephen Hamilton. That or she was living with him at the time. She asks him particularly how Angelica is doing;

“Let me hear from you, particularly respecting Angelica and all the family.”

(source)

Eventually, Angelica's aging mother could no longer care for her, and with her siblings having moved on with their lives (Some passed and others with families to tend to). Angelica was soon placed in the care of a Dr. MacDonald of Flushing, Queens, where she remained for the rest of her life.

(The Sanford Hall mental institution for the wealthy in Flushing)

In 1848, Angelica's sister Eliza Hamilton Holly moved their 91 year old mother from New York to Washington, D.C., where she died in 1854 at the age of 97. Elizabeth requested in her will that her other children be “kind, affectionate, and attentive to my unfortunate daughter Angelica.”

Only three years after her mother's death, in February of 1857, Angelica died, marriage-less and without any children, in New York at the age of 72. She was buried alongside her sister, Eliza Hamilton Holly, in Westchester County, New York at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Eliza Hamilton Holly wrote about her death in the following letter;

“I thank you kindly for your letter of sympathy & though, however we must feel parting with our own, we yet are bound to rejoice in her great relief, her from the precarious care of strangers. Kind as Mr. Macdonald, Mrs. Camp and the nurses have ever been—her Heavenly Father will be kinder—her youth, her beauty, her intelligence in the spirit home, will once more be all that it was before I knew her—such as I hope and believe will be an abundant reward for the darkness of fifty years. My Beloved Mother always wished to have her depart before herself.”

(source)

[imobsessedwiththeatre]

I headcanon that older schuyler sisters (while 1776-1779) were doing sleepovers at angelica room and listening while angelica was telling them her horny stories and they just left Cornelia because they think shes too young. Peggy listens and Eliza says thar she will watch if someone walks in but really she just sleeps

And then Cornelia walks in and yellow at them that she cant sleep because of them (she was the smolest but they were REAL afraid of her)

[philipschuyler-official]

your kid just ate cereal with coffee

is this a schuyler thing

I remember Cornelia and Angelica tried that once... Which kid was it?